Body isolators are used to couple a frame to a body of a body-on-frame vehicle. Such body isolators include a resilient isolator to limit or reduce the emanation into the body of vibrations in frame. In some cases, the body isolator is first bolted to the frame; after which the frame is transferred down the assembly line to a body and frame joining station. It is desirable to have the body coupling bolt captured by the body isolators at the time the body is joined to the frame. In this way, the body coupling bolts are presented as part of the body isolator assembly to facilitate automated decking fastening. In order to account for tolerance variations, it is desirable that the captured body coupling bolts are able to float laterally.
One known option for capturing the body coupling bolt is to use a push on Tinnerman nut. Insure the proper placement of Tinnerman nuts on the body coupling bolts requires holding the head of the body coupling bolt against one side of the body isolator and fully pushing the Tinnerman nut against the opposite side of the body isolator. This requires simultaneous access to both sides, which is not always easy. In addition, placement of Tinnerman bolts is not always done correctly, causing them to interfere with proper alignment of the bolt or tightening of the nut onto the bolt.
Another known option is to provide a spring loaded bolt retention mechanism within the body coupling aperture of the body isolator to capture the bolt. Such systems are larger and do not allow sufficient lateral float. In addition, once the bolt is inserted, the bolt cannot be removed without destroying the bolt retention mechanism.
Another known option is to provide a foam ring or ‘stay-put’ polymer between the bolt and the body coupling aperture. When these materials are flexible enough to allow the bolt to float laterally sufficiently enough, they typically do not adequately secure or capture and retain the bolt with friction alone. Conversely, when these materials are rigid or large enough to securely capture the bolt within the body coupling aperture, they typically do not allow sufficient lateral float of the bolt.
The body isolator bolt retention assembly disclosed herein variously provides a relatively simple, foolproof, robust, and removable bolt retention solution.